Commuters suffer as protesters block street

Hundreds of three-wheeler auto-rickshaw drivers and locals who use non-motorised transports blocked for the second time in eight days vehicular movement on the first China-Bangladesh Friendship Bridge since yesterday morning protesting a steep increase in toll rates.

The rates came into effect yesterday on six bridges, the first Buriganga, Meghna-Gomoti, Dhaleswari, Ghorashal, Kanchan and Bhairab, to bring uniformity across the country, said Roads and Highways Department (RHD) Additional Chief Engineer Aftab Ahmed.

The July 25 blockade prompted the RHD to postpone collecting the higher toll, initiated the day before on the bridge over the Buriganga river connecting Hasnabad and other areas of south Keraniganj with Postogola, a trade, business and transportation hub in the capital.

The postponement was meant to manage the day's agitation, said Aftab. Just as in the first day, thousands of people yesterday had to cross the bridge on foot.

"This time, we are apprehensive, the siege may be prolonged as there is no effective move in sight to resolve the matter immediately," said Shyampur Police Station Officer-in-Charge (OC) Sheikh Md Abdur Razzaq.

A tremendous tailback is apprehended to further deteriorate the capital's traffic congestion as incoming vehicles will now use the toll-free Babubazar bridge (second Buriganga bridge), he said.

Those bound for Narayanganj, Chittagong and Sylhet from other districts used to pay the nominal toll and avoid traffic, he said.           

The OC said the worst-affected were the low-income group, auto-rickshaw drivers, local commuters depending on bicycles and rickshaws, and van and pushcart operators, who formerly did not have to pay any toll.

A commuter going to the capital and coming back on a bicycle every day has to spend Tk 20 or per month Tk 600, said Kabir Hossain, who lives in Hasnabad and works in Postogola.

An auto-rickshaw has to pay Tk 25 per crossing while cargo vehicles have to pay eight times the former rate.

"The issue might even call for the intervention of the prime minister for a resolution as the local lawmaker's efforts to sort it out with the communications minister did not yield the desired result," said an official requesting anonymity.

Secretary to the road transport and bridges ministry, MAN Siddique, said the new rates were to enforce a countrywide uniform policy but it would be reviewed in the case of this bridge in consideration of the nature of traffic.

The local lawmaker, Nasrul Hamid Bipu, also state minister for power, energy and mineral resources, has talked to him and will write to the communications ministry in a day or two justifying exempting this bridge, said Siddique.

"We will soon carry out a survey on the nature of traffic using this bridge...In case it seems justified, we would propose to the finance ministry for exemption and they would take a decision," he added.

Non-motorised vehicles are charged to discourage their presence on highways, he said. Aftab, however, said, "I can not respond, it is a policy-level issue."

On how they would resolve the blockade, he said, "We have nothing to do; higher authorities have to take a decision."     

The OC said the new toll for long trailers is Tk 750, heavy trucks Tk 280, medium trucks Tk 275, big buses Tk 75 and mini-trucks Tk 170. Previously it was Tk 30 for all.

The toll was raised from Tk 20 to Tk 25 for minibuses and to Tk 75 for microbuses.

Our Comilla correspondent reported that vehicle drivers are trying to increase fares citing the new rates on the Meghna-Gomoti bridge.